Saturday, December 31, 2011

2011…what can you say about a year when the economy remained in the proverbial shitter, the markets were up and down more than The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, the housing market still hasn’t bottomed out, unemployment is staggering, people rioted, people occupied, people got pissed off to the highest of pissividity, Kim Kardashian got married, then got divorced, the Cardinals won the world series, and Tiger Woods was out of action? I know…its OVER.
Thank god!

Musically, things were MUCH better (well not from a sales perspective) and so much great stuff came out this past year, I couldn’t even keep track of it all. There was SO much, that we had to take a hiatus just to catch our breath.

As could be expected we’ve compiled our Top 25 Albums of the year. It’s a diverse bunch of artists that kind of keeps our belief that good music is good music whatever the genre. We always have a debate about this stuff and that’s half the fun. The one thing that was easy to decide was our album of the year. We knew that way back at the beginning of summer. That was where the bar was set and everything else had to beat that or be close to it.

Anyway, grab a glass of champagne, have a sit down and have a look through. Let us know your thoughts and what your album of the year was we’d love to know.

25: Slow Club – Paradise
They created paradise this year with an album of indie pop that was filled with yearning and beauty.

24: Dum Dum Girls – Only In Dreams
They're fuzzy, they're lost in the 60's, they rock a garage like no one else can. What's not to love?

23: The Vaccines – What Did You Expect From The Vaccines
Sounding like it was recorded for 50 quid, the rawness and purity of this band shined through like a beacon of hope for British pop. They're one shot you'll look forward to getting.

22: The Kills – Blood Pressures
Still scuzzy, fuzzy and brilliant after all these years. The best coming together of an American and a Brit since World War II.

21: My First Earthquake – Friction
Probably the geekiest and most fun band I've ever encountered. How can you not love a band that writes a song about Enya and then references Kenny G w/in the song?

20: The Bell: Great Heat
This is one heck of a throwback to early 90's British Pop. Somewhere right now, Ian Brown is going, “Holy crap...”

19: MEN – Talk About Body
Le Tigre has just been out Le Tigre'd by one of its own.

12: The Chain Gang of 1974 – Wayward Fire
Punk funk, Disco punk whatever, these guys did it all w/in the course of an album. Angularity has never been so damn dancey.

11: Digitalism – I Love You Dude
Unlike Justice, Digitalism made a sophomore album we wanted to listen to on repeat a lot.

10: Beady Eye – Different Gear, Still Speeding
The lesser of the two Gallagher bands, Liam basically kept Oasis going and we still love Oasis even if they have a new name.

9: Cut Copy – Zonoscope
Can these guys do no wrong? Three albums, three home runs. Embracing indie, shoegazing, and dance in one giant bear hug they write songs that reach for the heavens and get there.

8: The Limousines –Get Sharp
If I Am The World Trade Center were to have become famous this is what they'd sound like now. Indie dance that's geeky, sugary sweet and FUN.

7: Mates of Sate – Mountaintops
This is the only band that can make us cry tears of joy.

6: Washed Out – Within & Without
The ghosts of shoegazing past all gathered together and possessed the members of Washed Out to record this album. From their name to the album title and everything in between this was the best album from 1992 released in 2011.

5: White Lies – Ritual
Fascinated by all things dark and depressing, White Lies has convinced us that love, death, sadness, and happiness are all good things especially when they're in a song. Manic depression has never sounded so good.

4: Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – s/t
Oasis may be a thing of the past, and the brothers may hate each other but the Gallagher with the most to prove did not disappoint in 2011. Self doubting and dare we say it, humble, Noel proved himself to be a worthy solo artist. Say what you will but he knows how to write anthems and this album is packed with them.

3: The Good Natured – Skeleton
Technically this wasn't an album (well it sorta was in the States) but it's our countdown so tough. The Good Natured proved that gothic tendencies, post punk angularity, and massive synth pop hooks could combine to make one heck of a record. It also doesn't hurt that singer Sarah McIntosh is ridiculously adorable.

2: Summer Camp – Welcome To Condale
Summer Camp welcomed us to Condale, and we moved in. This was the perfect summer album filled with lots of throwback vibes, hooky songs, and Elizabeth Sankey's soaring vocals. For a dynamic duo, they proved that great things do come in small packages...or bands.

1: Martin Solveig – SMASH
SMASH was exactly as it's name says, a smash. This was a perfect record in every sense; catchy, fun, influenced by everything, filled with awesome guest stars, it had it all. The songs were everywhere...even Target used, “Hello,” and the videos Martin and his team put together were self-deprecating, hilarious, and so well done they need to do a movie. Some people get it and clearly Martin Solveig does. In a really sucky year, SMASH made us laugh, made us dance, and made us have fun. It was perfect escapism and that's why it's our album of the year.

So there you have it...our favorite albums of 2011. Coming on Monday we'll look at the five most anticipated albums of 2012. It's not even January 10th yet and it looks like it's going to be a great year.

Friday, December 30, 2011

Dubstep, drumpstep DJ/producer/remixer extraordinaire Kill Paris, and British dance music DJ/producer Mark Okoh, first collaborated on a remix of Mark's club hit, "Illegal" after connecting through SoundCloud. They came together once again a year later, on the track "Let Me See Your Hands", a song inspired by a trip to the legendary Coachella music festival in 2010. This time some anthemic vocals came courtesy of singer/song-writer, producer and multi-instrumentalist, Marty Rod. After the success of “Let Me See Your Hands” the idea of combining their differing styles of music (dance, dubstep and rock) to create something new, was an opportunity these three producers could not resist, and FEVRPITCH was born.

FEVRPITCH is like a Nick Hornby novel...fricking fantastic. Super slick and ridiculously catchy, these guys create electro that takes everything they know and fuses it into something better than the sum of their parts. Just listen to, "Running Away." It's the type of song you can imagine being on the radio, in a TV show, packing out a dancefloor, and everything in between.

FEVRPITCH will hopefully be more than a minor side project for those involved. The songs are too good, the talent is to great, and the potential is limitless. They're so good, they'll work you into a err...fever pitch.

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, I once wrote about a band named Her Lips Might Shatter. They were a dark synthpop project from wunderkind, Alisa Nizhniy. (You can check that post out HERE.)

As these things go, I lost touch with Alisa and kind of wondered whatever happened to HLMS. Then fate kind of tapped me on the shoulder and introduced me to Cultastic!

Culttastic is the latest synth-pop solo project from electronic music producer Alisa the DJ enchantress, contortionist, vocalist and self-produced musician whose back and better than ever.

A little less rooted in dark synthpop and a bit more rooted in witch house and j-pop (holy weird influences Batman), Cultastic is like a hybrid of all three. Dark rhythms, and chilled beats sidle next to sugary pop thrills and massive hooks. It might sound a bit confusing, but the songs are good enough where it all flows together flawlessly.

Alisa is flexible in every way imaginable not only physically but also musically and Cultastic is clearly an outlet for that. Just listen and you'll see for yourselves. Whether it's Her Lips Might Shatter, Culttastic, or her just programming a MIDI controller, it's nice to have Alisa back making music.

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Brooklyn's Chalk And Numbers make modern Indie Pop with Classic Pop touches. Inspired by their favorite artists, such as The Beach Boys and Dusty Springfield, they use older recording techniques to capture the charm of antiquated sounds and do their damndest to avoid all things modern (and digital) during the the recording process. (They allow those influences to come out during performances and writing songs.)

Undoubtedly lo-fi as a result of this lack of technology, Chalk And Numbers don't veer into the palace of over distortion that most modern lo-fi bands inhabit. That alone is something to celebrate. Their goal is great sounding, modern indie pop music that's ridiculously catchy and sugary sweet. They've met their goal on their debut EP and exceeded it.

Sounding like the 60's if it happened in your living room right now along with so many twee bands I can't even begin to type them all out Chalk And Numbers are the kind of band you want to bring home to your parents. They're the kind of band you want to give a hug to and watch your girlfriend skip along to. They right gorgeous pop songs that are so easy to fall in love with it's a little creepy. These guys, simply put, are fab.

Their debut E.P., He Knew, is available now and features six original songs by Andrew Pierce.

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Nedry are a trio by way of London, Osaka and Bristol whose distillation of advanced rhythmic structures, low frequencies and raw human tones stand uniquely at a fascinating sonic crux of leftfield, club and indie juncture.

Drawing on the gothic undertones of David Lynch – and at points, absorbing T.S. Elliot’s ‘Four Quartets’, vocalist Ayu Okakita revels in ruminations urging acceptance of the shadows; to permit the darkness to settle around her.

Perhaps a bit Bjorkian in her vocal stylings Ayu takes thing in an unusual direction throughout the band's songs. You can hear this on the two new songs they've just released.

A bit chillwave, a bit abstract, and totally sounding like something from the Warp back catalog, Nedry seem to compose songs that are weird but likeable and easy enough to latch on to for those who get confused easily.

Their new album, In A Dim Light, will be released 12 March 2012 on Monotreme Records. Available on CD and digital formats and as a 180 gm vinyl edition of 500 on black (200 copies) or white (300 copies) vinyl with a free CD of the album and a free 12" x 24" poster. Pre-orders also come with free bonus tracks.

Sunday, December 25, 2011

It's that time of the year again...chestnuts roasting on an open fire, time for a sleigh ride w/silver bells, in a winter wonderland while listening to a few of our favorite things. And whether or not your knee deep in snow (like some of us) or drenched in sub-tropical sunshine (like the rest of us) we here at The POP! Stereo would like to wish you a fantastic Christmas.

Thank you for your continued support. We really appreciate it. While we can't give you all presents...we run a blog...not Conde Nast publishing, we can give you a bunch of songs. So have at it, download these 10 songs a blarin, rip open some presents, drink eggnog and stay warm!

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

After nine years, and over 100 releases, New York City’s Coco Machete Records delivers its first eponymous collection with This Is Coco Machete. Far from being a retrospective, This Is Coco Machete places you smack in the middle of the label’s most recent, current club bangers. It’s been out exclusively on Beatport for a couple weeks and is available worldwide this week.

A mix of eclectic vocals and sonic inspirations could have only originated in the streets of New York City but have gone global. Many of the featured artists and remixers on This Is Coco Machete – No. 1 hail from every corner of the globe; Fukkk Offf & Jence of Digitalism come from Hamburg Germany; Oliver Twizt, The Netherlands; Zodiac Cartel & Disco of Doom pop in from the UK; Polymorphic & Noise Invaders rep Moscow; Mikix the Cat, Paris; NROTB & Hatchmatik are from the Great White North and of course Spencer Product, Entyce & Debra Dolce are the resident natives from NYC. The compilation is simply for people who want to, as the label puts it, shake it all night long! This is the sound of New York City, this is Coco Machete!

Saturday, December 10, 2011

Since the formation of PNAU Nick Littlemore and Peter Mayes have grown to become one of Australia’s most loved electronic acts. Having already released three critically acclaimed albums over in Australia it is with great excitement that PNAU announce the release of their new single “Unite Us” for Ministry of Sound on 5th February 2012.

Taken from their forthcoming album Soft Universe, set for release early next year, this supercharged anthem stands as the perfect introduction to the big, ambitious and elevating sound that has come to characterize PNAU. “Unite Us” is a supremely effervescent track. It surges with colour and positive energy bearing allusion to the musical output of Littlemore’s highly acclaimed side project Empire of the Sun. His impressive role as composer for the Cirque du Soleil in Paris, (he is the youngest musician ever to have filled the position) can also be felt in the track’s expansive sound.

To say, "Unite Us," isn't the very definition of epic would just be stupid. This song sounds as expansive as the universe. It's gargantuan...the kind of thing you'll hear echoing off of every rafter in every stadium ever. It's massive stadium scale pop that's all conquering! So unite behind us with this track and prepare for the Year of Pnau in 2012.

ElectroPopTherapy is a deeply personal EP that finds upcoming producer Eries 'Heartstopper' Cornelius combining the biggest genres of music to give addicted electronic fans the treatment they've been looking for. ElectroPopTherapy marks the first official release from Heartstopper and YCTP Music.

"Moments come and go," says Heartstopper, "but I feel like this is my moment to introduce the world to what I'm capable of. ElectroPopTherapy is a reflection of me and the different sounds that I grew to love.

Recorded in Florida and sounding like it, Heartstopper takes that slightly cheesy sound that made the state famous, classes it up a bit and makes stuff that sounds like Bangers & Cash relocated to the middle of the state and moved into Celebration.

"Nasty Girl," the download below, is a sweaty, messy, and sloppy seconds slice of electro that's guaranteed to pack out floors.

Friday, December 9, 2011

Ever-innovative, enigmatic LA collective Fol Chen is proud to announce their collaboration with Monome. The band worked hand in hand with Monome and The Machine Project to create the Tetrafol, a pyramidal sound manipulation device that will be available through Monome shortly.

According to the folks at Monome, the Tetrafol is, "a hand-held tangible electronic sound toy. Circuits enclosed by a wooden tetrahedron detect orientation and motion-gestures to modify the playback of a collection of Fol Chen's micro-compositions, allowing the user to explore sound through physical manipulation. The battery-powered device has its own internal speaker but can additionally be hooked up to a headphone or amplifier. The circuit and firmware are based on open-source hardware and is itself published as open-source, allowing anyone interested to learn about its deepest inner-workings." The devices are hand assembled and will be limited to an edition of 100, making them remarkably unique.

The device will come pre-loaded with the sounds Fol Chen created for new tracks "So Good" and "Back on Kent," allowing people to create their own take on the song, but users will be able to upload their own music to the device for manipulation as well.

Born in Toronto, Ontario, Golden (David Adusei) was brought up in a Ghanaian household with a lot of pop, R&B and native West African music being played. He moved to Raleigh, NC at the age of 10 and took guitar lessons.

After 2 years of lessons, he started experimenting with sequencer programs and voice manipulation. Shortly after, he started writing lyrics and singing. Now living in Wilmington, NC, he attends University of North Carolina. He started deejaying house parties and getting into more different forms of dance music. He deejays regularly in Wilmington and a few parties along the East Coast.

He's been inspired by a lot of dance producers and bands that he's discovered. Adusei also takes his inspirations from R&B, disco, African funk, and soul music. He continues to focus on music and develop his sound to draw a stronger connection with listeners.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Back when I used to do radio there used to be this guy named Marco. Marco was a cool kid. He was all combat boots and Front Line Assembly t-shirts. He was Belgian and was the only person I knew who could say Einsterzende Neubauten. He did a show where he played industrial/nu beat and he used to play tapes because the stuff he had was so underground it didn't know it existed yet. He also ALWAYS ran over his allotted time, which used to drive us metal kids NUTS.

Why am I telling you this? Well this band called Fanfic from that most European of areas, Texas, seem to look like they'd be some sort of post electroclash unit but in fact may actually be the children of Marco! Fanfic create dark electronic pop which has its roots closer to old school industrial and Depeche Mode than it does anything post 2003. These guys write songs you pull rope to while smoking illegal Clove cigarettes.

Are they good? Oh heck yeah they're good. They're so good in fact, that you'll want to don a trenchcoat and speak with a thick Belgian accent after listening to them. So why not get in touch with your inner goth and join Fanfic in a graveyard!

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Following recent music videos and singles for "Waiting For My Chance to Come" and "Life is Life," London's Noah and The Whale is back with it's latest single, Give It All Back. The music video, directed by lead singer, Charlie Fink marks the second Fink-directed music video of the five from the band's most recent album, Last Night on Earth.

Paired with the release of the video comes a free download of the brand new "Give It All Back" remix from UK electronic artist, Chad Valley. Chad Valley, aka Hugo Manuel, joins Fake Blood, RAC, Yuksek, and Bibio in providing remixes to support Noah and The Whale's Last Night on Earth.

This dynamic duo have taken the Switch & Andrea Martin tune, "I Still Love You," and turned it into something that sounds like a long lost Deep Dish recording. A sweeping and uplifting remix, HeavyFeet have created a massive vocal house tune out of something that was originally abstract and jittery.

It shouldn't work but the remix does work, and works well and I'd almost say it outdoes the original.

Remastered by Bob Weston and featuring new liner notes by MAGNET magazine editor Eric Miller, physical copies of Vee Vee will include sixteen bonus tracks and new cover art re-imagined by graphic artist Jay Ryan. Reissues of All the Nation’s Airports and White Trash Heroes will follow later in 2012.

The first full-length produced by Bob Weston, Vee Vee was a slight departure from the previous bombastic noisepop that characterized Archers of Loaf’s previous work, and it proved that the band wasn’t just a flash in the pan. The album became their best-selling album to date and landed them on the covers of most fanzines and at the top of college radio charts across the country. “Harnessed in Slums” and “Greatest of All Time” became anthems of the underground and led to successful tours with the Flaming Lips and Weezer.

Here's the tracklisting...
Disc 1 -
1. Step into the Light
2. Harnessed in Slums
3. Nevermind the Enemy
4. Greatest of All Time
5. Underdogs of Nipomo
6. Floating Friends
7. 1985
8. Fabricoh
9. Nostalgia
10 Let the Loser Melt
11. Death in the Park
12. The Worst Has Yet to Come
13. Underachievers March and Fight Song

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Turnpike Glow started life in Italy but are now UK based, bringing their sunny, quirky Phoenix influenced sound to Britain’s rainy shores.

Sandro Schiena (vocals / guitar / keys) and Giuseppe La Mela (vocals / bass / keys) started the band in Rome, in a scene marginalised by glossy Italian mainstream pop and insider trading. However, with their Pavement / Phoenix inspired sound, they soon found themselves supporting acts like Cooper Temple Clause, The Futureheads and The Constantines.

It wasn't long before Sandro and Giuseppe, the songwriting core of the band, moved to London armed with only their guitars and a bag full of European plug adaptors! One rainy Sunday, they bumped into Anthony J. Hutchinson (drums) and Jeremy Levy (guitar) busking on the tube in giant sombreros. They talked, they laughed and eventually, they joined forces to become… Turnpike Glow!

An official single will be released in early 2012, along with their debut EP but in the meantime...enjoy The Turn, The Pike And The GlowDownload: The Turn, The Pike, The GlowTweet

Long before The POP! Stereo came into existence, I used to do a fanzine (Cerebral Holocaust) that covered death metal, grind, and thrash. I used to be somebody back then! Ha. Anyway, while I don't listen to new stuff that frequently, I always have time for the classics.

So, when HavocNDeed sent this mix to POP! Stereo HQ today, it was like Satan himself presented us with a Christmas present (get the irony) of epic proportions.

This is like amazing beyond all amazing and has so many thrash classics on it that it makes me feel like I'm 18 again. Laaz Rockit even makes an appearance! Holy Hell...they only ever had like five fans to begin with!

Anyway, download this like now and praise the goat! Speaking of the goat...nice "cover version" of the Venom classic for the cover art.

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

While not as amazing as the original, Crazy P's remix of Little Boots' instant classic Shake this stripped down and mellowed out version is non-the-less worthy as hell. A bit more minimal and less up front this version shakes it slowly and seductively as the track delves into soulful house territory.

With the single launch this week at a warehouse blow-out on Saturday night in London, Little Boots has invited some of her DJ friends including 'Shake' co-creator James Ford, Crazy P, and notorious disco trouble makers Horse Meat Disco and Kris Di Angelis. Little Boots will also be DJing herself and there are more surprises in store!

As a hugely talented producer, remixer, DJ, label boss and composer Hyper has excelled building a loyal and global fan base as well as commanding huge respect from his peers. Having shot into the consciousness of almost every dance head and aficionado ten years ago with the eponymous Y3K compilation series, he has since released two critically acclaimed albums, remixed everyone from Foals to Futureheads, Pink to Paul Van Dyke and released some of the biggest compilation series’ over the last decade.

Now he's back with his new single, My World and as one might expect it's a frickin' whopper of a tune. Processed guitar's power over precision drum-break edits, chunky synth lines whir and buzz and slabs of sub bass hold the foundation tight below the guttural bars of Dread MC and Genesis Elijah. Throw in a whole host of remixes that cover ever possible sub genre known to man and you have one hell of a welcome back. Hyper in the course of one single not only proves how and why he got his name but also why he's still respected to this day as one of the finest producers in all of Britain.

Son of a British father from Trinidad and Tobago, and a Mauritian mother, Pierre's early years were spent near Liverpool before moving to Manchester at 18 for university.

While in Manchester and just as Pierre's previous band, Lead Balloons were ending their time together in 2009, Pierre was in a serious automobile accident that left him unable to walk for nearly six months. Although the recovery was tough, and this was a dark time in his life, it also changed the way Pierre approached his art. Naming his new project Golden Glow as a tribute to the band Felt and their track "Sunlight Bathed The Golden Glow" he began to write songs that captured what he was living through.

By late 2010, Pierre Hall had completed the set of songs that were to make up the Golden Glow debut, Tender Is The Night. Rough, raw, and totally DIY the songs are as pure as pure can get and while Pierre thought of re-recording the songs in a more "professional environment," he didn't and the charm of Tender Is The Night was preserved.

Now, Golden Glow’s debut album, Tender Is The Night will be released in all of its distorted beauty by Mush Records with help from the label Bleeding Gold, who will handle a limited run of vinyl. The performances that make up this record are perfect in their obvious imperfections and quite honestly that's what makes the record so good and as a result it's why Tender Is The Night is the record to introduce Golden Glow to the world.

The Brooklyn prog-punk trio Old Monk has confirmed the release of their debut album Birds of Belize on Los Angeles's Eenie Meenie Records. The album will hit the streets via compact disc, digital and vinyl formats on January 17th, 2012. The digital version of the album will contain three bonus tracks.

Blending a love for of progressive rock, indie rock and pop punk has produced a sound that will sound familiar to most ears. But the one ingredient that stands out from the rest is the energy that Old Monk puts into their recipe. A raucous sound distinguishes the band from the crowd of over produced studio albums or overly bland lo-fi sounds that has been usual seasoning used by most bands today.

Old Monk are a jittery, frenetic bunch who wrangle their guitars in an almost Futureheads meets Polvo kind of way. Spiky riffs bounce off speedy drum fills and out of breath vocals to create a ridiculously quick paced songs that will leave you exhausted. That's just was indie rock should do and Old Monk does with vim and vigor!

Who better to write the book on fun than the ever crush worthy Kid Sister? The MC born Melisa Young not only spent 2011 tearing down shows all over North America - from the Magic 8 Ball tour with A-Trak to NYC's 80,000 deep Electric Zoo festival - but managed to bring that boundless on-stage energy to studio sessions with some of today's most exciting producers.

Still, it's Kid Sister's inimitable personality on and off the mic that brings these team-ups to life with swaggering verses and clever, lipstick-smeared punchlines to spare. Just like the pulpy romance novels that inspired it's title, Kiss & Tell offers pure pleasure for everyone. Word to the rap game Danielle Steel!

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Electronic. Indie. Dance. Pop. Rock. Today The Moon, Tomorrow The Sun is all about the collaborative. It’s about the connections between sound and people, it’s about the heart and the head. It’s for mistakes and triumphs, and against arrogance and under-confidence. A band of four: two girls, two boys. Noisy, dancy, loud, sincere, sweaty, lovable, hardworking.

After three EPs and endless touring, it was time to put what they’d become to physical memory: a record they could be overwhelmingly proud of and their current and future fans couldn’t stop listening too. That result is WILDFIRE: a 12 song document of perseverance and a homage to their fans (who helped fund the making of WILDFIRE through a very successful Kickstarter campaign). It’s about changing the things you want to change and doing the things you want to do. It’s about refusing to settle and working hard for what you want. It’s about really seeing your past, present, and future.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

French born band The Lanskies are ready to take over the world with their highly anticipated North American debut EP, Romeo, out now via The MuseBox Distribution. The much talked about group fronted by Liverpool born Lewis Evans, made waves at CMJ and Filter’s Culture Collide and are keeping up momentum.

Romeo is an ear catching EP of four tracks that sound something like a long lost recording between The Futureheads and Bloc Party circa 2005. Angular, shouty, and very danceable, this little record packs a big punch. They call their sound, "Hot Wave," and while it sounds remarkably like stuff that was part of the whole post punk revival, we'll let them call their songs whatever they want simply because they're pretty damn good.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

The ID don't have a lot of information available about them. They don't really have their ID worked out like that. But here's what the band says about themselves...

From an unusual international coalition The ID has members from Switzerland, Ireland and the UK who formed a musical union through their love of Joy Division. This fandom coupled with an appreciation of the artistic ideals of Dadaists, the I.D deliver their own slant on the post punk manifesto.

Dramatic and angular, the band have embraced that post punk manifesto and constructed songs that are moody, sweeping, and pretty darn good. If you can imagine the Editors in a bit of a tussle with the aforementioned Joy Division and White Lies you'll get where The ID are coming from.

With manifesto in hand the band have recently produced their debut EP, which will be the first in a series of three.

Talk about cross cultural, multi-national, global get together's...Eva on the Western Castle Island pretty much define what it's all about. You see, Eva is a Malaysian/Chinese singer who has been singing as a professional in her homeland Malaysia. A few years ago she moved to Finland and started doing solo gigs. In spring 2011 she met Martin, Ilkka and Eero who were looking for a singer to their new band. Eva liked their melodic tunes and fresh sound and so they ended up doing music together.

Their name is so long, that it couldn't even be used as profile name on Soundcloud. Anyhow, if you look at the names of the members more closely and find someone who understands Finnish, you might figure out what the name stands for. Until then...just listen to them.

Eva on the Western Castle Island have just released their first single Shooting Stars & Satellites and you can download it below.

Monday, November 14, 2011

pacificUV was formed in the late 1990’s in Athens, Georgia. Half the band wanted to sound like a psychedelic Jesus and Mary Chain tripping on Nyquil, while the other half wanted to play one chord for 45 minutes to determine its color. Somehow, what emerged from these disparate goals was their critically acclaimed, 4 years in the making, self-titled debut album that Rolling Stone called a “masterpiece”. The perfect mixture of noise and melody, the first LP was a sprawling ambient landscape that revealed a myriad of influences, from shoegaze to 60’s rock, to slow core to post-rock.

Following a move to Portland, Oregon and the release of their second LP - Longplay 2 - in 2008, the band moved back to its native Athens, Georgia and spent the last two years recording its third, and best, record, WEEKENDS.

The lyrical inspiration for WEEKENDS is the disintegration of a romantic relationship. What does one do on the weekends once love has disappeared? The pill case inspired album art suggests one answer.
From “Funny Girl” and “Ballerina” to the hangover ballads of “Going Home” and “Baby Blue”, WEEKENDS is sequenced to suggest the highs and lows one might experience on any given weekend when attempting to forget the past.

Friday, November 11, 2011

Self-professed psychedelic cavemen who pound out their primitive songs hastily in the garage, Thee American Revolution bathe fuzz drenched riffs and fill their debut album Buddha Electrostorm with gem upon gem of Elephant Six like songs. Robert Schneider’s (Apples in Stereo) pop smarts can’t be denied, and paired with Craig Morris, the duo conjure up a mighty tasty racket. Overseen by the mysterious direction of Wm. Shears, Thee American Revolution blaze ahead as if every song was made with cane sugar and was a number one single.

Originally released on Garden Gate Records/Elephant 6 Recording Co., Fire Records couldn’t resist getting golden tracks like the swirl of “She’s Coming Down,” the riff happy sneering “Haircut,” and the hand clapping stomper of “Blow My Mind” into the hands of millions (in theory anyway) the world over. Rounded out with bonus material and fresh packaging, it's the perfect holiday slab of indie pop. So gather the kids round the stereo, put some apples in the stereo, turn up the volume, and freak out!

Thursday, November 10, 2011

The Silent League was formed in 2004 in Brooklyn by Justin Russo (then keyboardist for Mercury Rev during the classic Deserter's Songs/All is Dream era). File 13 released the band's debut album The Orchestra, Sadly, Has Refused in 2004 to worldwide acclaim. The Silent League has since appeared to be an on-again/off-again relationship between a collective of musicians interested only in periodically making records, playing shows, and disappearing again. This may be true as nobody in New York ever seems quite sure whether or not the band still exists.

Their beautiful second album, Of Stars and Other Somebodies was never released in North America -- until now. Lay tracks through the past 5-6 years worth of new music (take Arcade Fire, Interpol, Beirut, St. Vincent, Stars Like Fleas, Bishop Allen...) and you're going to run over more than a handful of people who began with or spent time creating music under the The Silent League moniker... many of them still do, you just don't know it.

"We don't really care about maintaining a place in the industry. There is enough noise in the world and everyone has other work to busy themselves with," says Russo, "We try to keep it new, detached... We make music when we think we have something to say that isn't already being said."

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Total Slacker, which is Brooklyn's Tucker Rountree, Emily Jane and Ross Condon, released their debut album Thrashin' overseas in England via Marshall Teller Records and Japan via Sixteen Tambourines earlier in the year. The trio is now gearing up for the album release in America in early 2012. With titles like, "No Mo 4loko", "Stuck In 93'" and "Shitty Baby", Total Slacker's music is more than a good ol' time, it's a relentless lifestyle.

Lying somewhere between bad fuzzed out metal riffs and the Apples In Stereo on drugs, Total Slacker is an indie pop nightmare that rocks. It really shouldn't work at all, but yet it somehow does and the songs are ridiculously catchy and unfortunately short. Trashin' is one heck of a fizzy pop record that's almost not safe for work...I mean why else would someone have a single called, "Secret VHS Collection?"

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Jon Wiley (guitar/vox), Steven Mertens (bass), and Chris Egan (drums) met when they toured with Adam Green as his touring band on the 2008 summer tour and Spacecamp was born. Later that year while in Berlin, the guys met Dev Hynes (better known as Lightspeed Champion or Blood Orange) where he asked the band to record nearly all of the music for Hynes' second album, Life is Sweet! Nice to Meet You.

In January of 2009, the then named, Spacecamp and Hynes recorded the album at Brooklyn's Mission Sound with producer Ben Allen. Shortly after that, Spacecamp invited guitarist James Pollis to join the band and complete the lineup. In late 2010 and early 2011, the band started playing shows and writing their first full-length album that is scheduled for release in Fall 2012.

Sounding something like MGMT if they got in a fight with the Futureheads and the Police, the band fuses electronics, power pop, and worldly pop music into a dizzying combination that's a bit off centre but really quite good. Why they're waiting so long to release their debut is beyond me...but until then enjoy the first sounds from that record...

Thursday, November 3, 2011

The Phenomenal Handclap Band are best known for their single "15 to 20" - which exploded when the band first came on the scene two years ago. The group's debut album was a mix of cosmic disco-funk and psych soul that made for an incredible dance party and landed them a recent tour with Bryan Ferry.

The group is also preparing the release of the follow-up to their acclaimed, self-titled debut album. Form & Control, PHB’s ambitious new work takes their clever fusion of international psych, soul, and cosmic disco a bold step forward. With co-founders Daniel Collás and Sean Marquand at the production helm, Form & Control finds the band once again deftly mixing and matching seemingly disparate musical genres, with a musical palette that now includes prog-pop, new wave and modern leftfield dance.

Form and Control will be released in early 2012 on Tummy Touch Records.

Monday, October 31, 2011

Johan from the rather amazing Swedish label, Labrador, has a tale to tell about the new band Det Vackra Livet. Rather than me ruining the story, here's the tale straight from Johan's errr...email.

Philip called me up a day in September 2010. He was working on songs for the third The Mary Onettes album as far as I knew, so I was surprised to hear he had written two songs in Swedish that he wanted me to hear. He sent “Kristallen” and “Juni berättar” over … and I was instantly blown away of their verve and beauty! I immediately pleaded him to an album with Det Vackra Livet.

The coming two months Philip sent me one or two news songs every week, each one of stunning quality. The whole album was finished in less than eight weeks time and one has to wonder where the inspiration came from.

It turned out he had been going through his grandmother’s memories over the summer and the little everyday stories had affected him deeply. He had also discovered the works of Swedish/Finnish poet Claes Andersson (now a member of parliament in Finland) and become inspired by his way of writing.

And somewhere there in the summer of 2010 - among poetry, memories and sentimental flashbacks - Det Vackra Livet was born. /Johan, Labrador Records

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Alan Wilkis is a busy man. He works with a lot of people. Rather than trying to explain it all to you, I'll just let him do that.

PRINTS is a series of singles by Brooklyn-based recording artist and producer, Alan Wilkis. For each song or “print,” he first writes an instrumental piece and then collaborates with a different vocalist, sometimes together in the studio and sometimes via the web, until the “print” takes its shape. By drawing both himself and his collaborators out of their respective comfort zones, Alan hopes to push each “print” to new and unexpected heights.

Alan chose to name the project, PRINTS, largely because a “print” implies a certain beautiful simplicity, as well as an ability to stand alone as a piece of art. “Printing” can also refer to the act of rendering a recording session into a single audio file. Also, “prints” and “Prince” sound alike... and Alan really likes Prince.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Niels Pederson and Adam Abildgaard have been playing music for a little over 5 years, but it was only about a year that they began to make music as Dempsey. They both went to high school together in Davis, California and until recently, both lived there (Adam moved to San Francisco about 6 months ago). After parting ways with the third member of their previous band Dempsey came into being with Niels and Adam continuing to make music but taking it in a completely different direction.

After aimlessly making a few tracks together, Adam created the beginnings of what is now “Late Night” and decided their sound had been found. Nine months and a lot of hard work later they have now released their first EP, and are already in the preliminary stages of their next. Despite the bit of distance between the two, they maintain a collaborative dynamic through constant file sharing and frequent trips up and down the PCH.

Sounding like what would have happened had the Mark Gardner out of Ride fell out of love with the Byrds and in love with synthesizers, listening to Dempseyis like listening to "Chrome Waves" through a "Time Machine." Hazy post apocalyptic dream pop for the synthesized generation is what these guys are all about and that's something worth taking a Ride for.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Fuck Art, Let's Dance! is Romeo Sfendules (Guitar) and Tim Hansen (Drums) who operate as a highly motivated and brilliant team behind the dynamic, inspired and ridiculously young singer Nico. FUCK ART, LET’S DANCE! manage to create a make believe utopia of intense electronic beats and driving atmospheric guitars.

A sugar rush of synthetics and beats, FALD are a rush of everything to the head all at once. One can't help but think of someone like Figure meeting Barcelona if they were German while trying to place where FALD are coming from. It's all very upbeat and filled with pop thrills from the get go and so ridiculously catchy you might need an antibiotic to help clear your brain.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Trenchurian is Rian Trench from Dublin-based Solar Bears, whilst Swimming are Nottingham's finest purveyors of dark pop - a quintet fronted by John Sampson and his brother Peter. Swimming's single Neutron Wireless Crystal is out on 16 October, ahead of their debut album Ecstatics International on 7 November.

Fans of Washed Out, Starslinger, Gold Panda, Baths and the like should be drawn to this in a pre-gazing, dream pop way. It's all shimmery with a slight 80's hue and is rather incredible and with names like Neurtron Wireless Crystal, Swimming are destined to be on a Dr. Who episode.

Disclaimer

MP3s on the POP! Stereo are available for a limited time only and are intended for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, or read about support the artists by actually purchasing their albums, going to shows, and buying their merchandise.

If you own copyright to one of the songs posted and would like it removed, email us at djpaulpop@yahoo.com.